A common surgical technique is a laparoscopic procedure in which, after administering a general anesthetic, a patient's abdomen is inflated with CO2 or other inert inflammable gas. Rigid tubes with air-tight valve mechanisms (“trocars”) are then inserted into the gas-filled abdominal cavity so that a video camera and other surgical instruments can be introduced into the abdomen. The video camera is typically deployed via an endoscope that projects a view of the abdomen onto a video monitor located in the operating room.
Laparoscopy surgery is used for a variety of reasons. In some situations, laparoscopic surgery is used to affix or implant a miniaturized medical device or circuit, drug bolus or other item or object on or within the exterior surface of an organ. As one example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,510,332 to Robert J. Greenstein describes an electrode which is designed and adapted for application by laparoscopic surgery. The electrode includes an attachment member which can be attached to body organs, even in cases where the organ is subject to vigorous, periodic peristaltic movement within the body (e.g., digestive organs).
As another example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,626,919 to Lee L. Swanstrom describes a laparoscopic technique in which a locking apparatus is used for securing an implant, such as a stent or stent graft, to a vessel or organ wall. Other examples include U.S. Pat. No. 5,766,234 to James C. Chen and U.S. Pat. No. 6,506,190 to Christopher J. Walshe that describe a flexible probe and a tissue anchor, respectively, that may be delivered via laparoscopic procedures. As yet another example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,569 to Vincent C. Giampapa describes a biodegradable therapeutic agent proportioned for laparoscopic delivery to a tumor or surgical site.
Table 1 below lists documents that disclose laparoscopic techniques and devices for delivery via such techniques.
TABLE 1Patent NumberInventorsTitle6,510,332Robert J. GreensteinObesity treatment toolsand methods6,626,919Lee L. SwanstromMethod and apparatus forattaching or locking animplant to an anatomicvessel or hollow organ6,506,190Christopher J. WalsheTissue anchor system5,580,569Vincent C. GiampapaArticle for tissue-specificdelivery of therapeuticagents5,766,234James C. ChenImplanting and fixing aflexible probe foradministering a medicaltherapy at a treatmentsite within a patient'sbody
All documents listed in Table 1 above are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their respective entireties. As those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate readily upon reading the Summary, Detailed Description and claims set forth below, many of the devices and methods disclosed in the patents of Table 1 may be modified advantageously by using the techniques of the present invention.